Wor.43 – Crucify Me

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Not long after their ‘Teach Dem’ release, Heights + Worship (Brian McNasby & Rob Paine) set to work on a next project, this time structuring a tune around this Carlton Livingston vocal Rob had laying about, and both had been itching to work with. After bouncing some ideas around in the workshop, the duo had begun to zero in on a sound worthy of their tastes, and dug in deep to refine the prima-materia. Upon completion, they forwarded their creation, ‘Crucify Me’, over to ZamZam Sounds Portland, Oregon HQ, where it was subsequently signed and released as a limited edition 7″. With supplies dwindling on record store shelves world-wide, we now figured it to be a good time for Heights & Worship to bring ‘Crucify Me’ home to Worship Recordings for a few remixes and a release into the digital domain.

In The Dance Mix: Employing a 4/4 kick with a tempo addition, via subtraction, the ‘In The Dance Mix’ utilizes chopped up vocals riding on a steady wheeling rhythm to set the dance floor in motion. In an hallucinatory marshland of panning, echo and filter treatments, aphotic organ stabs, migratory harmonica calls and vacillating synth sweeps accumulate to an energetic velocity. Livingston’s vocal provides perfect accentuation.

Joeski’s Tension Remix: After receiving a 4/4 makeover, ‘Crucify Me’ embarked upon a journey up I-95, from Philadelphia to New York City, where Brooklyn born Joe Flores, aka Joeski, would apply his treatment. A bit more uptempo, yet fairly minimalised, ‘Joeskis Tension Mix’ is a brass tacks exhibition of just how well he grasps the inner workings of a dance floor. With the commanding kick and rolling bass on a steady cadence through static saturated terrain, dragging hats and vibrant claps continually punch through into revelatory moments of clarity.

Original: Moving with the one-drop foundation, a harmonica beckons and compounding snares give way to Carlton Livingston crooning about the tinderbox that’s become the daily politics of life in East Kingston, Jamaica. Reinforced with an earth moving bass line and arpeggiating synth notes, ‘Crucify Me’ is a celestial piece of contemporary, sound system centric Reggae Music.

Original Dub: Cutting all but a few of the key vocal elements, the ‘Crucify Me’ Dub retains a musical similarity to the original cut, with echo reminants of harmonica and snare splashes moving to the forefront. The astuteness of the low side is a prominent component of this mix.

Original Dub Version: With all of the vocal elements removed from the Original Dub, this Dub Version is a true instrumental rendering of ‘Crucify Me’.

Early Feedback:

Tanner Ross (Crew Love/Dirtybird) – First time Rob played me this track I loved and I still do. Real tight drum programming, tasteful vocal chops and a nice dubby finish. Two thumbs up for Worship!

Josh Wink (Ovum Recs) – “The Philadelphia Worship crew keeping their roots planted firmly in their own electronic dub reggae style with this new release, along with their spaced out dance version and Joeski’s rolling contemporary tension dub… “

Jamie Jones (Hot Creations) – “feeling joeskis remix, nice!”

Osunlade (Yoruba Recs) – “Feeling the journey on this one (In The Dance Mix)”

Sunshine Jones (Dubtribe) – “I’ve been a huge fan of Worship since it began. Rob Paine is a dear & talented man. The best thing about this record is what happens over time. Ya gotta let it play….Love”

Okeef (Circle) – “So many vibes represented on the release. Really enjoying all, but “in the dance” mix and Joeski’s mix will get the most play. Great use of vocal sample across entire package …. great work!”

Willyum (Shakedown Philly) – “This EP stays true to all the things that Worship Recordings has ultimately been about since its inception in 1998. Fans new and old will love the heavy kicks, shuffling percussion, thick bass lines, and dubbed out atmospherics and vocals interspersed in all of the versions. Joeski’s remix and the ‘In The Dance’ mix keep the focus sharply on the dance floor while the ‘Original’ and the ‘Original Dub’ mixes will satisfy the ears of the more dubwise… Highly recommended package.

Del (5 Magazine) “For experienced and savvy producers… sometimes a chord, vocal sample, full acapella, or an incomplete project can be blessed with new life and then a hit… is “birthed”. Thus is the case with the new jawn on Worship which crushes with the vocal stylings of Carlton Livingston. Long-time homies Brian McNasby (aka Ras Heights) and label honcho Rob Paine found their sweet spot with this dark yet melodic dance floor beast. It’s chock full of dub elements on the music and with brother Livingston’s commanding vox. The Original version is pure Jamaican gold and comes through most properly with the vocal hook cleverly teased with cool harmonica stabs. The two Original Dub versions focus on the musical master-work and let that shine in a dub-lovers’ wet dream! I love the aptly named, “In the Dance Mix”. The build takes you to a frenzy before Carlton’s words soothe you but, don’t settle in as that harmonica, Fx, and strong production make it impossible to keep your feet planted. NYC OG Joey Flores’ Joeski’s Tension Remix is my favorite. Sparse… in just the right way, it zooms along in an upbeat charge with lots of bottom and more of that “can’t get enough” dub vocal! There’s no “tension” in my take on this mix – pure heat! “